Cherry Blossom Tree
by Vazra
Summary: Sakura joined the mission to retrieve Sasuke, but when Naruto and Sasuke clash in the Valley, she steps in at the last moment, and something strange happens. Time travel in a strange new way.
1. Going back

**Cherry Blossom Tree**

Summary: Sakura joined the mission to retrieve Sasuke, but when Naruto and Sasuke clash, she steps in and something strange happens. Time travel in a whole new way.

0000000

It wasn't suppose to be like this...

Sakura had never felt more helpless. Her two team mates were fighting on the lake, and all she could do was watch. Sasuke seemed to grow colder and more cruel with every word between blows, while Naruto grew more furious, going totally ballistic, and that strange red chakra...

She could do nothing, save for watch on the banks of the river, tears in her eyes. For all the good she did so far she might as well have stayed home. All the others had stayed behind to let the two of them get here...and now Sakura was helpless.

Something snapped then, as she saw Sasuke spread strange hand shaped wings and Naruto's chakra tail flare out behind him. To hell with it, she was stepping in. she ran fast around the edge of the lake, and up the statue on Naruto's side. Trying not to be seen, she actually slipped out behind the waterfall itself. There was a empty area beind it which they had not noticed. Now she was right between them, ready to...

To what? Sakura knew she was no mach for either one of them normally, let alone like this. Through the water, where it grew thin, she watched, and...

'What am I doing? I can't stop them...why am I even here?'

'Were they about to charge at each other? With those attacks? And with all they power they put into it, they might...'

Sasuke flew, Naruto leaped, Sakura just jumped. She didn't even think, her body just moved on it's own. Through her peripheral vision, she saw Naruto with a look of horror on his face, suddenly looking much less animal-like. Sasuke looked shocked, not comprehending what was going on. A split second later, the attacks hit, Sakura in between them, and it didn't matter anymore.

She was so sure there would be pain, some form of agony, but there was noting but a sense of everything faiding away. As the combine attack's shpere expanded around them, she looked down and saw that she was disappearing, starting at the point of impact outward, she simply turned into light and vanished.

"It's ok...I don't hold it against either of you..." She manages to say. Neither can respond.

The light covers her head, and she knows no more.

0000000

_Am I dreaming?_

_Where am I?_

_Who am I?_

_Am I even alive..._

_I can't remember._

_Something's wrong._

_...So tired..._

_Sleep now, figure...out...la...te...r..._

0000000

The Shodai Hokage walked through the forest. True he did not carry an escort with him, but he wasn't the strongest man in the village for nothing. Besides he had been working hard for months establishing the new vilage, and he had earned a break. Anything to get away from the paperwork.

A good deal of the land was not fully explored, and that was a perfect excuse to go on long walks though fire contry. Sometimes just getting away from it all was so satisfying.

He heard the sound of rushing water, but it was a bit much for just a river. Deciding to check it out, he was greated with a magestic sight indeed. A massive vally stood before him. A waterfall, borderd by two massive shapeless rocks, fed the lake at the base of the vally. It was large indeed.

Something caught his eye, in the exact center of the lake was a large grass covered mound that rose out of the water, and out of it a massive sakura tree rose to dominate the center of the vally. It's branches seemed to arc in an almost artistic pattern, it's blossoms thicker than on any other of it's kind, it's size grander than any other such tree.

After a moment, Shodai noticed something. An almost endless shower of pink pedels fell from the tree, yet the tree never became bare. He could only stare in amazement at this strange thing. He felt like he had found the grove of some forest spirit, like this was something sacred.

Who knows? It just might be.

After looking at that tree for what seemed like hours, Shodai decided to head back. While walking away, he glanced back one last time...

There was a girl sleeping at the base of the tree, a girl with long pink hair.


	2. The truth?

**Cherry Blossom Tree II**

It had been several weeks since the strange girl had appeared by the tree. Shodai took a moment to review what they knew about her already.

She appeared to be around 25 years old, and hat a thin but strong body...one most Kunichi would kill to have...and he literally meant kill.

She had not awoken, and was barely breathing. Her skin was white as a sheet, and her hair was pink...the same pink as a sakura tree. A quick test confirmed that yes, it was her natural hair color. She had not responded to any minor attempts to wake her. She had also not kept anything down or needed to go to the bathroom the entire time, yet showed no ill effects.

After his own duties were taken care of, Shodai asked two Hyuga clan members to aid him. One would examen the tree in the Vally, the other the girl. Deciding to oversee the latter, he walked to the hospital.

On the way, he took a moment to admire his forming village. They had built so much in such a short time. He had received word that some other nations were doing the same thing, which both brought him joy and fear. You see, it was his dream that one day all Shinobi would be under a single rule, keeping order over each other and others. Before now, Shinobi had been all over the place. A dojo here, a wandering master and his apprentice there, and sometimes these sort of mini-villages that were much smaller versions of what he was doing.

Sadly, the strife between the nations kept a single grand village beyond his reach. Instead, he had build one in the strongest nation at the time, and the one with the most shinobi.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he reached the hospital. It was only two stories so far, but they had plans for building several extra ones in the following months. He stepped in and entered the room where the strange girl had been brought back, to discover the Hyuga already in the room.

"Good day Ty" Shodai said. The young man turned to him, and grinned in that overdone Hyuga way. He had a lean build, the traditional Hyuga pale skin, and wore the traditional Chuunin outfit.

Ty laughed, and said "Shodai you old dog. You go out into the wood, and find the one naked girl within a hundred miles of here."

Shodai could not help but laugh, thank the gods for this family's sense of humor, he hoped they never lost it. And he was right, although the girl was now safe under the blankets, she had been totally unclad when he had found her.

"Think you could have a look at her, and NO joke about that..."He said, knowing how bad it sounded. Ty grinned again, and said "Na, too easy. Ok then, lets see...Byakugan!"

There was a pause as Ty, his eyes now with veins visible around them, scanned up and down the girls body. Finally, he turned off his eyes, and turned back to the Hokage.

"Well, I can tell you for sure what her favorite color is. I don't think I've ever seen that much pink before. Her whole chakra web is that color." Shodai's eyes widened. That was a very unusual color for chakra indeed.

"Not only that, but this chakra network is the biggest, most complicated one I've ever seen. She could put even you to shame in comparison." Ty said, sounding very amazed himself. "finally, there appears to be a...a strand of chakra between her and the direction that tree is in."

Shodai thought about this. So she did have chakra pathways, there was something that made them simmiler. Still, everything about it was so alien. What WAS she?

Before he could continue, a ruckus was heard in the hospitals entrance. Someone had been badly hurt. Deciding to have a look, Shodai Rushed down...

...Only to spot them moving a young Hyuga into the intensive care unit. He was screaming about a blinding light...

It was the one he had sent out to look at the tree.

0000000

Three days later, it was announced that the wounded Hyuga would regain his sight with no ill effects in about a week, much to the Shodai's relief. Questioning had reveled that when he had looked into the tree with his clan bloodline, he had seen not a tree, but a blinding mass of pink light.

Interestingly enough, there was no true damage to his eyes, they simply seemed stunned in such a way as to not harm him. Was it intentional? Hard to say.

Shodai had one last thing to try, the Yamanaka clan had a jutsu for reading the minds of others they had created. The plan was to look into the girls mind and see what her secret truly was. With any luck, they would know the truth soon.

0000000

_Still tired..._

_Can't move at all._

_Can't feel my body, just stuck here...here in the Vally? Here in the hospital?_

_Where...where was she?_

_Naruto, Sasuke, where are you..._

_I can't feel you here, where..._

_Where...are..._

_...th...e...y…_

0000000

Yamanaka Toru dived into the mind of the girl, intent on finding something. He knew at once something was wrong, only darkness greeted him.

Slowly, as if forced, memories came to him. Something seemed off about them, as if they were somehow distorted. He decided to worry about that later and pay attention.

First he saw the pink haired girl standing on the roof of a building that looks like it was made for an emperor. She was in the middle, clad in a flowing white robe, flanked by two others. On her left was a fox with nine tails and blond fur, the creature was as big as a horse and held intelligence in it's blue eyes. The fox nuzzled up next to her, seemingly wanting her attention, to which she sighed and patted it's head.

On her right was what looked like a humanoid dragon. The arms past the elbow became large and inhuman, the feet splayed like a birds, and a long lizards tail trailed out behind him. His skin was a dark grey, his hair white and long. Finally a pare of hand-like wings extended from her back. For all that, his eyes were normal, and skin aside the rest of him looked normal. He had a slight smirk at the scene before him.

The image faded to another, a horrid fat creature rose from water, it's form almost impossible to determine as it changed. Two warriors were brought low before it, one with a mask on wielding senbon needles, and another holding a grand sword. Then the three...the Girl, the Fox, and the Dragon, came forth and slew it. Another figure was there, but he was hidden in shadows, and his face concealed behind a book that Toru could not see. It seemed important though.

Again the image shifted to a fight in a forest. A horrid pail snake creature came forth and attacked the three. They chased it away, but first it scratched the Fox in the belly, and bit the Dragon in the shoulder. The vision half faded into what happened next. The Dragon became cold and dark, his eyes becoming black, as the venom made him lose himself. The fox didn't lose himself like the dragon, but became more aggressive as the wound caused him pain. Finally, in the very valley the tree had been found in, things came to a head.

The Valley of the End; that was what they called it.

The fox and dragon were about to attack, when the girl stepped in between them, and then...

**"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!"**

Suddenly he was flung out of the girls mind. He caught a short glimpse of a black being outlined in white bearing down on him. It was so massive it's hand alone could have completely enclosed around him.

**"And don't come back, you pig!"**


	3. A normal clan, or not

**Cherry Blossom Tree III**

_Where am I?_

_Can barely remember..._

_Family...close...friends...still missing._

_Am I the tree? The woman? The girl?_

_Who are you? Your me but...not me._

_...or am I you, but not you?_

0000000

Sakura awoke with a start from her bed.

"Another strange dream..." she mumbled, crawling out of bed. Glancing out the window, she was greeted with the usual sight of the Vally of the End. Living in the Haruno clan Temple/Estate had it's perks, like living on top of a waterfall for one. She was glad her room was one facing south, giving her this view.

Still, it was a pain living in a house so far outside the city, it made for a long commute. She took a quick shower and got dressed. Fixing herself up in her shinobi outfit (Think her outfit from the show, only a much darker shade of red.) and taking a few moments to arrange her hair, she WAS the heir to the Haruno clan, she had to make a good impression on top of being a strong ninja.

Besides, she wanted to look good for Sasuke.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat and bidding her family good morning, she set out on the dirt path than snaked down the valley wall, and then headed for Kohana. She started a brisk pace there, her fast pace would allow her to both get there on time AND get some training in by going as fast as she could for as long as she could.

She always felt a slight sense of loss as she left the valley, as all Haruno did. Their whole clan lived here because they felt drawn to the valley, and to the sacred tree, there was a reason they had taken up to job of looking after it.

After rushing past the guards at the gate, who simply gave their normal respectful bow, she headed for the academy. Graduation was only a few days away, and she could hardly wait. As usual, she arrived a fair amount of time before class started.

"Hmm, a full 20 minutes today, not too shabby." She said, feeling a small pang of pride for her effort. Taking her seat beside her friend Ino, they engaged in some light chatter to pass the time. There usual fake insults of 'forehead-girl' and 'Ino-pig' coming up now and again.

Although the Yamanaka was one of the lesser clans, it had a very good relationship with the Haruno clan, and it seemed like Sakura and Ino were an extension of that. They had been friends for the longest time, although the pursuit of Sasuke's affection had put a strain on that friendship, they had decided that they should not let it come between them.

So they were friends with a rivalry when it came to Sasuke, and despite some shaky moments remanded as such.

Just as they were moving onto a new topic, another voice interrupted them. "Hey Sakura!"

"Oh, good morning Naruto." Sakura said with a smile. As annoying as the blond was, she had grown a bit fond of him, and even considered him a friend, although she had always said no to the offers to take her out on dates, he just wasn't her type.

Interesting thing was, her mother had encouraged her to get to know the boy better without ever having met him, although she never said why. Sakura wasn't complying Yamanaka though.

"Hey Naruto." Ino said with a slight wave. Ino was not truly friends with Naruto, but since Sakura was good friend with them both, she had a sort of half friend half acquaintance connection to him.

The three of them sat together, Sakura in the middle. The topic of conversation ranged from the upcoming graduation test to Naruto's horrible orange sense, which despite the begging and pleading of Sakura, and Ino to a lesser extent, he would not change.

At last the teacher came in, Iruka and Mizuki taking there usual roll call. After that, and a short review of the last lesion, he started.

"Alright class, today will be another lesion in ninja history." He said, to the groaning of most of the class. Although the teacher would never admit it, he felt almost the same. Although it was part of the lesion, and part of being a ninja, it was probably the least important thing they would be learning here at the academy. Luckily this would be the last one for this class, graduation being so close.

"We will finish out talk on the history of the Clans. The subject for this lesson is the Haruno clan."

At this, more than a few heads glanced at the pink haired girl in the middle row. She let out a sigh.

'dang' she though. 'I've already had this info tattooed onto the back of my brain at home, now I have to listen to it again? I probably know more than the teacher does about this.'

She kept this to herself, however. She did have a clan reputation to keep up, even if it was going to be boring...

"Ok, as with many clans, the Haruno have distinctive physical characteristics that nearly all members carry. Can anyone name some, and Sakura, I know you already have all this info down so let someone else answer." Iruka said.

Several hands were raised, including Naruto's, surprisingly enough. He often had an answer in other subjects, but history was his least favoured subject, and he had no qualms about letting everyone know that. Then again, he WAS friends with Sakura.

"Yes Naruto?"

"Er..." he paused for a moment. "They all have pink hair?"

"Yes." Iruka said, feeling just a bit of pride for his student. "Although the most obvious answer, a correct one non the less. Every member of the Haruno clan who did not marry into it has that distinctive colour. It was for that reason that the very easy 'many colours' genjutsu was created, allowing at first for them temporarily to change their hair colour, and then just about any other colour on ones body, making it invaluable for stealth. Any others?"

The class successfully listed off the green eyes, pail skin, thin but tall build, and one kid even mentioned how their breasts don't start really growing till their 16, and stayed near flat-chested till then.

Although true, Iruka had not planned to mention that particular aspect, and because of it had to spend a few moment calming down the enraged Sakura. Ino and Naruto tried to hold her back while she attempted to attack the offending student.

"Flat chested!? FLAT CHESTED!? I'll show you!" she roared.

After a short time, order was restored. Nether student would be punished, because the student had been right, and Sakura had a reason to be mad, although she may have overreacted a bit.

"Good job, although there is one you missed." Iruka continued "All Haruno are born with an 'inner' self"

This perked the classes' interest, they had not known this. Sakura looked a little nervous.

"The thoughts and emotions that are normally kept inside manifest as a whole separate personality, called an 'Inner' self. It is believed that this is a developing bloodline, as it has gotten stronger with passing generations. This second personality can be a distraction early on, but with proper training it can be used as a medium for keeping a level head in tense or frightening situations, and aid in both resisting and creating genjutsu."

For once, Naruto was a bit interested in the topic of discussion, then again, it was an interesting fact about Sakura, wasn't it?

"Now, lets get into the clan history." Iruka said, and the class let out a groan.

"you all know the legend of the Cherry Blossom Maiden and the sacred tree, what is slightly less known is the Haruno clans origins in that. After the discovery of the tree, and the Maiden, the Haruno family asked to see the tree, feeling drawn toward it. Little more than a nomadic family at the time with nothing remarkable about them other than their hair colour, they soon learned that the maiden looked a lot like a member of their family, albeit an almost unnaturally perfect looking one."

"After going there, they discovered a strange sense of peace there that non-clan members felt only a fraction of, and desired to stay. Over time the clan building and temple was built upon the top of the waterfall, stretching from one side to the other, and the great Fox and Dragon spirits in the vision were carved into the side of the Valley of the End. The temple was almost destroyed when the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara fought there so long ago. Luckily the tree was never harmed.."

"That fight was the only act of violence that ever occurred in that valley, and has since been seen as a neutral ground for all nations, although officially belonging to the Fire Country and the Haruno clan. The clan forbids any form of violence there, even to train if you are not a clan member..."

Iruka went on after that, but Sakura tuned him out. She had a right to after all, she knew this all by heart, having lived most of her life on the very location they were talking about. It was kind of nice, though, to have others learn about her clan history. They were as close as one could be to a pacifist clan in this battle-ready world.

Still, it was so easy to just say th-

_...lost..._

hu? Sakura could swear she had heard a voice just now, but did not recognize it. It also sounded more like a thought in her head, but not one she or even her Inner Sakura had made.

_...I'm still lost, can't find my way..._

Glancing around, while trying to seem calm, Sakura tried to figure out what was going on. Who WAS that?

_...couldn't do anything, only watch...watch while they...killed each other..._

_...had to do something, had to stop them, didn't even think about it..._

Naruto was again in a trance, not paying attention to anything, Ino didn't notice either, trying to listen to the lesion. She was glad, her head was starting to hurt. She flinched as the pain grew worse.

_...Not fair, thinking I'm weak...I tried...save my friends, save them all from THAT FILTHY SNAKEANDHISCURSEMARK! **BLASTHIMTHATFILTHYWRETCH!**_

Unable to bear the pain or the volume of the voice, Sakura clutched her head and let out a cry of pain.

"Sakura, is something wrong?" Said Iruka. Naruto looked worried but didn't say anything.

"Are you ok?" Ino said, looking concerned.

Unable to answer, Sakura lurched out of her seat, still clutching her head and groaning in pain. She swayed unsteadily in place, before losing her balance and falling over. Naruto reached out to catch her, and managed to slow her fall.

As darkness closed in around her, she could just here over the voice in her head, Ino screaming for a medic...

And then darkness took her, and she knew no more.


	4. Voices & Visions

**Cherry Blossom Tree IV**

_...A burden...a tag-along...did I even do anything? All this time, and all I could do was watch them fight..._

_Wait... _

_What is this? _

_WHAT IS THIS?! _

_Where am I? What happened? _

_A tree, no, a woman on some form of alter, no...a girl in a hospital bed? _

_Which one am I? I'm...all of them? _

_AAAAAAAAAGH! I've been split in three! Split in three! SPLIT IN THREE! _

_The tree...it feels like home, I think...I think that's where I am. _

_The woman...that's my body, but...what happened to it? _

_The girl...she feels like me, but...it's like a part of me became her, HAD to become her, or things would have changed..._

'...stop...'

_Yes, it was just the tree and woman for a time, then the new me was born...but there can't be two of me, so it's part of the old me..._

'Please stop...'

_ARGH! Don't understand...head hurts...things are different, she's different...but she's ME! How can she be different!_

'Please stop it!'

_Did I change it? Did coming here change it? Nothing makes sense! Damn that snake, damn that filth BACKSTABBING LYING PIEACE OF FILTH**ANDHISTWISTEDPLANS!**_

'Please STOP! Stop it! PLEASE STOP IT! You're hurting me! You're HURTING me!'

Silence, as if the voice was befuddled by her plea. In a much smaller, more pitiful, almost pleading tone, the voice returned.

_...But you can't be me...I'm me...if your...and... _

_...Who am I?..._

0000000

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Naruto said as they sat in the waiting room. Iruka had gone back to class, but had given Ino and him the day off since their friend was sick.

"I don't know Naruto, she just clutched her head and...well, you saw what happened." Ino said with a sigh.

Sakura's mother, and next in line for clan head, sat in silence. She had prepared her whole life for that burden, but never had she prepared for her only daughter being harmed like this before she even graduated.

Her husband was long dead, and her mother had too many duties as clan head to sit and wait, although she had dropped in earlier and would no doubt do so again. But for now it was all on her shoulders to wait...

Feeling the need to comfort someone, which was her own personal way of dealing with her own sorrow and worry, she walked over and sat between the two.

Placing her arms around them, she said in a kind voice. "Hey, no frowns now. Sakura will pull through this for sure. You all know how stubborn she is, and it's probably nothing anyway. Besides, those medics wouldn't dare let anything happen to the heir of the Haruno, they would never live it down."

Naruto and Ino looked a bit less sad, and were truthfully feeling better.

Naruto had always felt safer around Haruno clan members. A lot of people were cold to him, some acted normal around him, but if he ever encountered an unfamiliar face adorned with pink hair it was almost a guaranty they would be warm and friendly right off the bat.

He had asked why many times, but they would always change the subject and move on. Sometime when they were younger, they would simply shrug and say "don't know, my parents said I should."

He had wanted to live with the clan, but the clan head and shook her head sadly and stated that she could not do that now, in fact for some reason he was not even allowed to visit Sakura's home. Naruto was saddened by this, but they were already so nice to him, how could he ask for more?

Ino was feeling better too. Miss Haruno would make a great clan leader someday. Of course that would mean the current clan head would have to die, so she hoped that was a ways off.

Thinking back do different times, she recalled how the woman often fretted about how she needed to take better care of herself, and eat more. 'Worse than my daughter, you are. It's a wonder you haven't starved yet.'

She had said similar things to Naruto, but upon seeing him eat Ramen for the first time, such comments had stopped altogether.

She was a perfect mother, and one of the kindest souls she knew. It was almost a shame that she led the life of a ninja, where one deals in death. The thought of her killing was a sad thought.

Just then the doctor stepped in. "She's doing fine, not sure what caused the incident, but she should be in no danger, and we've checked all known problems. She's fit as fiddle"

A collective sigh of relief came from the three. Despite the comfort they had gotten, they had still been worried.

"She just needs some rest, you should all head home, we'll inform you if there is any change."

Despite the protests of Ino and Naruto. Miss Haruno hushed them out of the room, saying she would be back to pick up her daughter. Reminding them that they had to get ready for final exams went far to convince them.

0000000

The conversation from before with the voice was already gone from her head, she could not remember what had been said, she could barely remember there had been a voice...but now...

Now something else was happening.

A flash of light covered her vision, and she was elsewhere...

FLASH!

She was prepping in front of a mirror, her dress was a lighter shade of red, and there was a faint, almost unnoticeable lack of...something...compared to how she normally looked.

The room she was in did not look like her own, this didn't even look like the Haruno Temple.

"Sakura! Shouldn't you be leaving now?" she heard her mother call to her from the other room.

Getting a bit irritated, she said "I was about to go!"

**Shannaro! Stop treating me like a child! **

FLASH!

She could not believe it, that moron Naruto had panted faces on the Hokage monument! What had he been thinking?

FLASH!

"Good morning, Sasuke kun." Sakura said to the brooding boy at his desk, he didn't answer.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?"

FLASH!

The man in the mask said "My first impression of you guys is...I hate you."

FLASH!

"Sakura! Kill Naruto or Sasuke dies!"

FLASH!

"-since we're on the same team"

FLASH!

"-rained in da-"

FLASH!

The images came too fast now, Sakura could no longer comprehend them, and it all faded to black again...

The world came back into focus, and Sakura saw that she was in a hospital bed. After her head cleared up a bit she was able to ask a nurse what had happened. She soon learned all the details, and truth be told was rather embarrass about it.

'oh well, at least I didn't have to sit through that lecture...'

0000000

Graduation was almost upon them, and excitement was in the air. Sakura could hardy wait for it to happen, soon she would be a true shinobi.

She sat in her usual seat beside Ino, who sent her a smile and said, "Looks like your feeling better now."

Ino had visited her in the hospital, and had commented on how frazzled she had looked. Sakura could not blame her, she HAD looked rather awful. However, a bit of rest had done wonders for her.

"So, what exactly happened yesterday?" Ino inquired, still sounding just the slightest bit worried.

Not wanting to scare her, she decided to leave the voice and visions out. No need for her friend to think she was coming unhinged. "I don't know, my head just started pounding real bad."

Accepting this answer, Ino launched into the usual idle chatter, also mentioning how she had been nice enough to squelch the rumours that cropped up about her due to her fainting spell, something Sakura was very grateful for.

When class started, Sakura noticed that Naruto was not there. Not just not sitting next to them, which he did every third class or so to mix things up, but not in the room.

Whispering to Ino, she asked "Hey Ino, where is Naruto?" Ino shrugged, and said simply "Haven't seen him all morning"

Sakura had a bad feeling about this. If today was a lecture on some relatively unimportant bit of ninja history, then Naruto being absent would be normal. However, today they were going over information for the final exam, what could he be...

Suddenly Sakura had a very bad hunch she knew where Naruto was. Her fears were confirmed when a Chuunin burst in, and handed a note to Iruka.

After reading the note, Iruka simply said "Class, I need to take care of something. Take a 10 minute break, if I'm not back by then, Mizuki is in charge." And without further delay, dashed out of the door.

"Geez, what do you think that blockhead did this time?" Ino asked, having already guessed what had happened. Both girls decided to spend there break on the roof for a little fresh air. They were just walking out onto it now.

"Heck if I know..." Sakura said, "but this feels a bit worse than normal, I wonder what-"

Just then she realised she had bumped into Ino, who had suddenly stopped. "Huh, what's wrong?"

Ino was silent, and still for a moment, a look of shock on her face. Sakura followed her gaze...

...and spotted the Hokage monument, covered in paint.

Sakura's jaw hung open wide, utter disbelief all she could feel. He had...Naruto had...

Painted on the monument!

**Shannaro! I'm gonna kill that moron!**

She could not believe it, that moron Naruto had panted faces on the Hokage monument! What had he been thinking?

Before she could rant at him, or break Ino out of her shock, a chill ran up her spine as something occurred to her.

What she had just thought...had been identical to what she had heard in that vision. Not only that, but she then realised that the strange voice she had heard...had been her own.


	5. Team assignments

**Cherry Blossom Tree V**

_Are things the same as last time?_

_No, it feels different..._

_Better? I don't know..._

_I see...this world is like yet different from mine...and she is the me of this world...then where is mine?_

_Two of the same person in one world...what does it mean?_

0000000

Still a bit phased by the strange nature of her dreams, which she was still trying to write off as just some coincidence, Sakura only half-heartedly chewed Naruto out, unlike Ino.

Deciding that such thoughts were best dealt with later, she instead focused on her transformation jutsu. As usual, she made a perfect transformation, but forced herself to not gloat about it.

I am a future clan head; I can't just go making a fool of myself.

Sakura headed home after class, hoping to get a little time to relax...and try to get the mental image of Naruto's "Sexy Justsu" out of her mind.

0000000

Graduation was here at last, Sakura was looking forward to showing her stuff. It was true that she did not have the best marks in some fields, but she didn't lack in any areas either. Plus she was smart, no one who knew here could say otherwise.

Her true concern was for Naruto. It was true that he had gotten better, but the truth was his Chakra control was still horrible...he simply had too much of the stuff! That meant that there were a few jutsu that he could not do.

"Alright class...you already passed the academic portion of the exam." Iruka said with a hint of pride in his voice. "Now, in order to graduate you need only to perform one justu of our choice."

Sakura crossed her fingers. Naruto has skill that were at least good enough to get him through the exam, so long as he didn't have to do THAT skill. She hoped they had not chosen the-

"...Clone Jutsu will be out skill of choice."

Being the only two students who knew the trouble with this, Ino gently hit her head against her desk with a soft thunk and Sakura slapped her forehead with a groan. Naruto himself looked absolutely horrified. The one skill he could not get down was now the one that mattered.

One by one, the students were lead to the adjacent room to demonstrate their skill. Sakura was rather torn between showing her skills and not making Naruto look too bad. Deciding to make five clones rather than her limit of seven, she was still ahead of most of the class.

Later, she and Ino were both feeling confident enough in their skill to say they graduated. Rather they were worried about Naruto. Their fears were confirmed when the normally cheerful and energetic boy came back looking glum.

Sakura sighed and decided to find out what went wrong. "Ok Naruto, what happened?" she asked, although she could take a guess.

"I only made two clones" Naruto said looking depressed. "and they were all black and white"

Sakura winced. It was better than the one dead blob of a clone he use to make, but two clones when everyone else could make at least three AND making them without proper coloration was not a good sign at all. Sakura did not need to be smart to figure out he failed.

Attempts to cheer him up did nothing, so Sakura decided to give him some space. Heading home, she saw him sitting on the swing that hung in the field just outside the academy.

'wish I could help...' she thought, and headed home. She resolved to find him after tomorrows team assignments and buy him some ramen.

0000000

To say Sakura was surprised to see Naruto in class the next day was an understatement.

"Alright Naruto" she said "How in the heck did you get that headband?"

Naruto, positively beaming, spoke. "I kind of helped stop a missing nin yesterday, and Iruka decided that I deserved my headband for that."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, but nodded. It would make sense, knowing Naruto he would naturally do something unexpected like that to pass...but something told her there was more to it. Not that it mattered, she was just glad he passed.

Now it was time to sit next to Sasuke. Sakura was trying to be more subtle than the ravenous fan girls he normally dealt with. The idea was she would simply keep him company, and try to be helpful whenever she could, rather than throwing herself at him. Ino was trying the same, but have less success holding herself back.

After saying hi to Naruto, Sakura saw Ino moving to take the seat beside Sasuke, and moved to intercept her. Friend though they may be, when it came to Sasuke there was an outright war going on.

"Ino-pig! Back off, I planned to sit next to Sasuke." She said.

Ino replied "Ha, he would much rather sit next to me, forehead."

The usual squabble broke out, till they were drawn over to the sight of Sasuke and Naruto glaring at each other.

Sakura again fought the desire to yell at the blond dolt. She cared about him, but sometimes he did not know when to stay quiet and not do anything. Ino was only slightly reserved, saying he sould "stop glareing at Sasuke." In as calm a voice as she could, which was sadly drown out by the other girls wines of protest.

Then some moron in front of Naruto had to bump him in just the wrong way, and all of a sudden the two were sharing an unwanted kiss.

Sakura and Ino were torn between being furious and laughing at the aquardness of the situation. Both had been hoping to be Sasuke's first kiss, although they hardly thought this counted.

Seeing Naruto gag, Sakura decided that to him at least he had been punished enough. Sadly most of the other girls did not share that opinion. After a rather painful few moments Ino and Sakura calmed them down by convincing the rage filled fangirls that this kiss "didn't count" Which seemed to keep them from continuing there assault.

Focus shifted back to the class when Iruka began announcing the team placements. Sakura was hoping to be placed with Sasuke, as was Ino. Naruto was hoping to be put on a team with Sakura AND Ino, which in his mind would be the greatest team on earth.

"Team Seven will consist of Naruto Uzumaki..."

Naruto perked up at the mention of his name, as well as Sakura and Ino.

"...Sakura Haruno..."

"Yea!" Naruto said, grinning over at Sakura. She simply smiled back after a short sigh. Where did he get all his energy from? She sure as heck didn't jump up like that!

"...and Sasuke Uchiha."

Sakura almost ate her own words. Only having proper manners drilled into her head kept her from duplicating Naruto's earlier display. Speaking of Naruto, he did not look at all happy about his new placement.

Sasuke had remained silent through the whole announcement, although his eyebrow briefly twitched when he thought of how he would be working with Naruto.

Once announcements were done and Sakura took her moment to gloat over her lucky break over Ino, they sat back to wait for their instructor to pick them up for their first day. Sakura relaxed as she watched other teams leave...

A lot of other team leave...oh well, looks like there instructor was going to be a few minutes late. It's not like he would take too much longer, right?


End file.
